Controlled-environment facilities, such as correctional facilities provide various options for visitation with residents (inmates). Options include in-person visitation, room-to-room visitation through a divider, telephone visitation, and video visitation. Residents of controlled-environment facilities are typically restricted to receiving visitation from approved persons.
When an individual visits an inmate in person, the individual's identity may be determined by providing identification documents to staff of the controlled-environment facility for verification. The identification documents may include a picture of the individual. The staff member may cross-reference the individual's name with a list of individuals on the inmate's approved visitor list.
Identification of visitors is more difficult with telephone or video visitation. The individual may provide a personal identification number, phrase, or pass code, but it is often difficult to ascertain whether the person providing the identifying information is in fact the authorized visitor without visual confirmation of the person's identity. For example, an authorized visitor may pass identification information to unauthorized individuals so that they may pose as an authorized visitor for the electronic visitation. Moreover, it may be difficult to confirm that an actual person is taking part in a video visitation.